20 May 2014

Is baby health affected by taking antipsychotic medications during pregnancy?

There is a great need for safety and efficacy information about the use of antipsychotic medications in pregnancy. A Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre (MAPrc) team have published research in PLOSOne based on data from the National Register of Antipsychotic Medications in Pregnancy, which they established in 2005. Live, healthy babies are the most common outcome following the use of antipsychotic medication in pregnancy, but the MAPrc research concludes that clinicians should be particularly mindful of neonatal problems such as respiratory distress. Reference: PLOS ONE DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094788. Monash story link. Radio National RN Drive transcript link.